Lasers, especially diode lasers, are sometimes used to remove unwanted hair from various parts of the body, including hair on the upper lip and in areas around the genitals of a male or female patient, including the so-called bikini line. When used to remove hair from the upper lip, these hair removal lasers may cause pain in the patient""s teeth and gums particularly at the site of fillings in the teeth. This is principally caused by what is typically referred to as acoustic resonance. In addition, some lasers, such as the CO2 laser can make a permanent black spot on the teeth if the laser is directed at the teeth. It may even make a crack in the teeth. Moreover, it is not known what the potential affect of the hair removal laser may be on the minute blood vessels in tissue and organs in the area surrounding where the hair is being removed as well as in the gums and pulp within the roots of the teeth. This is especially true of the diode and Nd:Yag as they penetrate deeper than other lasers. Although these adverse effects are undocumented, they are a matter of concern to surgeons. Since removal of unwanted hair on the upper lip and other areas of the body is a desired but elective technique for women and sometimes men, there is a need for some means of protecting the patient""s organs, teeth and gums from the potential adverse affects of lasers when used for hair removal. In addition, there are other medical devices such as instruments that transmit intense light used in medical procedures. Any medical instrument, including those with a cooling apparatus such as a cooling ring, which presses the lips against the teeth and gums will benefit from the invention.
The devices of the invention include a mouth guard or dental shield shaped to conform to the typical dental alignment in the buccal area of the patient, being worn over the teeth behind the lips in the buccal area. The invention also includes both a male and a female genital shield that serve the same purpose as the dental guard, except they protect the genital areas of the patient. The female shield protects the vulva of a female patient, i.e., the delicate membrane of the vaginal and urethral openings, the labia minora and all other very sensitive parts of the female genital area. The genital shield is held in place by and behind the labia majora, and will fit most patients by positioning the shield so that the vermilian border (the junction of the mucosal membrane and skin) is well placed. The male genital device is a penile guard, in the form of a thick tube that is placed around the upper half of the penis when a procedure is performed for removing the hair follicles on the lower half part of the penis. The devices of the invention are preferably made of a soft rubbery polymer so as to conform more easily to the individual patient""s features. The shields are made of a light color, preferably white, in order to disperse or reflect the energy and avoid the penetration of the laser or other light instruments all the way through the material.